Common abnormalities within the schizophrenia spectrum may be essential for the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, but additional pathological changes may be required for the development of full-blown schizophrenia. Clari...Common abnormalities within the schizophrenia spectrum may be essential for the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, but additional pathological changes may be required for the development of full-blown schizophrenia. Clarifying the neurobiological similarities and differences between established schizophrenia and a milder form of schizophrenia spectrum disorder would potentially discriminate the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the core features of the schizophrenia spectrum from those associated with overt psychosis. High-resolution MRIs were acquired from 25 patients with schizotypal disorder, 53 patients with schizophrenia and 59 healthy volunteers matched for age, gender, handedness and parental education. Volumetric measurements of the medial temporal structures and the prefrontal cortex subcomponents were performed using consecutive 1-mm thick coronal slices. Parcellation of the prefrontal cortex into subcomponents was performed according to the intrinsic anatomical landmarks of the frontal sulci/gyri. Compared with the controls, the bilateral volumes of the amygdala and the hippocampus were reduced comparably in the schizotypal and schizophrenia patients. The parahippocampal gyrus volume did not differ significantly between diagnostic groups. Total prefrontal grey matter volumes were smaller bilaterally in the schizophrenia patients than in the controls and the schizotypal patients, whereas the schizotypal patients had larger prefrontal grey matter than the controls in the right hemisphere. In the schizophrenia patients, grey matter volumes of the bilateral superior frontal gyrus, left middle frontal gyrus, bilateral inferior frontal gyrus and bilateral straight gyrus were smaller than those in the controls. The schizophrenia patients also had reduced grey matter volumes in the right superior frontal gyrus, bilateral middle frontal gyrus and right inferior frontal gyrus relative to the schizotypal patients. Compared with the controls, the schizotypal patients had larger volumes of the bilateral middle frontal gyrus and smaller volumes of the right straight gyrus. There were no significant between-group differences in volumes of the ventral medial prefrontal cortex or the orbitofrontal cortex. These findings suggest that volume reductions in the amygdala and hippocampus are the common morphological substrates for the schizophrenia spectrum, which presumably represent the vulnerability. Additional widespread involvement of the prefrontal cortex in schizophrenia may lead to the loss of inhibitory control in other brain regions and suggests (although it is not specifically be related to) its critical role in the manifestation of overt psychosis.展开更多
To evaluate the value of 16-slice spiral CT in the demonstration of coronary artery and in the diagnose of coronary artery stenosis. Methods Plain and enhanced CT scans were performed with a 16-slice CT scanner (Sensa...To evaluate the value of 16-slice spiral CT in the demonstration of coronary artery and in the diagnose of coronary artery stenosis. Methods Plain and enhanced CT scans were performed with a 16-slice CT scanner (Sensation 16, Siemens, Germany) in 230 patients with suspected coronary heart disease (CHD). Parameters of the plain scan were: 120 kV, 133 mA, slice col-limation 16 mm×1.5 mm, rotation time 0.42 seconds, increment 1.5 mm, and slice width 3 mm. Parameters of the enhanced scan were: 120 kV, 500 mA, slice collimation 16 mm×0.75 mm, rotation time 0.42 seconds, increment 0.5 mm, and slice width 1 mm. Enhanced CT scan was performed with a rapid intravenous injection of 100 mL iothalamate meglumine (Ultravist) (370 mgI/mL) or Omnipaque (350 mgI/mL) and 30 mL 0.9% NaCl chaser bolus at a flow rate of 3.5 mL/s. Calcium scoring with plain scan images and two and three dimensional reconstruction with enhanced scan images were made in all cases, among which 30 cases underwent conventional coronary angiography. Demonstration of coronary arteries and their stenosis were evaluated and the factors that might influence the image quality were analyzed. Results Coronary calcium scores were calculated and coronary artery was demonstrated in our study. In the evaluationof image quality with volume rendering technique (VRT) images, 78.3% of the images were of the first class, 12.2% the sec-ond class, and 9.6% the third class. Multi-planar reconstruction (MPR) and maximal intensity projection (MIP) were better than VRT in the demonstration of small branches. The image quality was related to the heart rate, with or without arrhythmia, and breath-hold ability of patients. Comparative study of the stenosis of coronary arteries in 30 cases showed that the sensi-tivity and specificity of 16-slice coronary CT angiography (CTA) to diagnose significant stenosis were 95.8% and 94.8% resp-ectively. Conclusion As a non-invasive and quick method, 16-slice coronary CTA is sensitive and specific to diagnose the stenosis of coronary arteries and can be used as a screening method in the diagnosis of CHD.展开更多
文摘Common abnormalities within the schizophrenia spectrum may be essential for the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, but additional pathological changes may be required for the development of full-blown schizophrenia. Clarifying the neurobiological similarities and differences between established schizophrenia and a milder form of schizophrenia spectrum disorder would potentially discriminate the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the core features of the schizophrenia spectrum from those associated with overt psychosis. High-resolution MRIs were acquired from 25 patients with schizotypal disorder, 53 patients with schizophrenia and 59 healthy volunteers matched for age, gender, handedness and parental education. Volumetric measurements of the medial temporal structures and the prefrontal cortex subcomponents were performed using consecutive 1-mm thick coronal slices. Parcellation of the prefrontal cortex into subcomponents was performed according to the intrinsic anatomical landmarks of the frontal sulci/gyri. Compared with the controls, the bilateral volumes of the amygdala and the hippocampus were reduced comparably in the schizotypal and schizophrenia patients. The parahippocampal gyrus volume did not differ significantly between diagnostic groups. Total prefrontal grey matter volumes were smaller bilaterally in the schizophrenia patients than in the controls and the schizotypal patients, whereas the schizotypal patients had larger prefrontal grey matter than the controls in the right hemisphere. In the schizophrenia patients, grey matter volumes of the bilateral superior frontal gyrus, left middle frontal gyrus, bilateral inferior frontal gyrus and bilateral straight gyrus were smaller than those in the controls. The schizophrenia patients also had reduced grey matter volumes in the right superior frontal gyrus, bilateral middle frontal gyrus and right inferior frontal gyrus relative to the schizotypal patients. Compared with the controls, the schizotypal patients had larger volumes of the bilateral middle frontal gyrus and smaller volumes of the right straight gyrus. There were no significant between-group differences in volumes of the ventral medial prefrontal cortex or the orbitofrontal cortex. These findings suggest that volume reductions in the amygdala and hippocampus are the common morphological substrates for the schizophrenia spectrum, which presumably represent the vulnerability. Additional widespread involvement of the prefrontal cortex in schizophrenia may lead to the loss of inhibitory control in other brain regions and suggests (although it is not specifically be related to) its critical role in the manifestation of overt psychosis.
文摘To evaluate the value of 16-slice spiral CT in the demonstration of coronary artery and in the diagnose of coronary artery stenosis. Methods Plain and enhanced CT scans were performed with a 16-slice CT scanner (Sensation 16, Siemens, Germany) in 230 patients with suspected coronary heart disease (CHD). Parameters of the plain scan were: 120 kV, 133 mA, slice col-limation 16 mm×1.5 mm, rotation time 0.42 seconds, increment 1.5 mm, and slice width 3 mm. Parameters of the enhanced scan were: 120 kV, 500 mA, slice collimation 16 mm×0.75 mm, rotation time 0.42 seconds, increment 0.5 mm, and slice width 1 mm. Enhanced CT scan was performed with a rapid intravenous injection of 100 mL iothalamate meglumine (Ultravist) (370 mgI/mL) or Omnipaque (350 mgI/mL) and 30 mL 0.9% NaCl chaser bolus at a flow rate of 3.5 mL/s. Calcium scoring with plain scan images and two and three dimensional reconstruction with enhanced scan images were made in all cases, among which 30 cases underwent conventional coronary angiography. Demonstration of coronary arteries and their stenosis were evaluated and the factors that might influence the image quality were analyzed. Results Coronary calcium scores were calculated and coronary artery was demonstrated in our study. In the evaluationof image quality with volume rendering technique (VRT) images, 78.3% of the images were of the first class, 12.2% the sec-ond class, and 9.6% the third class. Multi-planar reconstruction (MPR) and maximal intensity projection (MIP) were better than VRT in the demonstration of small branches. The image quality was related to the heart rate, with or without arrhythmia, and breath-hold ability of patients. Comparative study of the stenosis of coronary arteries in 30 cases showed that the sensi-tivity and specificity of 16-slice coronary CT angiography (CTA) to diagnose significant stenosis were 95.8% and 94.8% resp-ectively. Conclusion As a non-invasive and quick method, 16-slice coronary CTA is sensitive and specific to diagnose the stenosis of coronary arteries and can be used as a screening method in the diagnosis of CHD.
